Anyone non-religious here? Please be nice!

[deb1]

What are you grateful for about being non religious and for those who were formally religious, what do you miss?

I am grateful that I don't have to obsess over where my friends will spend eternity. Also, I am happy that I no longer have to see myself as essentially worthless without the assistance of a higher power.

I miss the community that comes with being part of a religion.

 

[KDbeads]

Quote:
This and I don't have to worry if I have anything to wear to church on Sunday, I can stay in my jeans/t-shirt/flipflops and work outside or clean house or sew or read or take a trip all without feeling guilty about not being in church on Sunday mornings. Quite often I do my grocery shopping then!

Honestly, with the type of group I grew up in.... I don't miss anything about it. I'm free.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
This and I don't have to worry if I have anything to wear to church on Sunday, I can stay in my jeans/t-shirt/flipflops and work outside or clean house or sew or read or take a trip all without feeling guilty about not being in church on Sunday mornings. Quite often I do my grocery shopping then!

Honestly, with the type of group I grew up in.... I don't miss anything about it. I'm free.

The freedom is something that is amazing me. I thought that I would feel lost without my former religion. It is amazing how happy and complete I feel not being a part of my former faith.

 

[KDbeads]

For me the freedom is wonderful, I'm not told who to talk to, how to dress, how not to dress, how many kids to have, what car to drive, where I can buy a house, who I should have married.... etc.

I wasn't allowed to wear make up or jewelry growing up. I didn't even get my ears pierced until I was 16. And that kind of thing affects me even now, hate wearing makeup, I'm allergic to most so I still don't wear it. I make jewelry but I only wear my studs and one silver necklace... a dragon.

 

[Prettiest Frog]

Quote:
The same on both sides.

No group think.

I admit sometimes it would be easier to let someone else do the thinking for me and tell me what is right and wrong. But coming to the conclusions for myself makes me ultimately a better person.

The church I grew up in told me what I could and couldn't wear, who I could and couldn't associate with, what my opinions should be on particular subjects, etc... That is actually what a lot of people liked about it. It's also ultimately what drove me from it.

 

[mom'sfolly]

What I miss most is the music, I actually love hymns and spiritual music. "How Great Thou Art", The Doxology, Amazing Grace and I Come to the Garden Alone, and Christmas music are some of my favorites. Church is one of the few places that people sing in public, and no one cares how you sing. I always found the singing uplifting. I miss some of the rituals and I miss the certainly that comes with faith, especially the idea of life after death. But, I also find that the uncertainly is okay, and leaves me open to actually consider things like what does happen to us after death, if there is a god with a plan for us, do we have more than one chance to fulfill that plan; is there a soul and is it immortal, what is the meaning of being moral and ethical if there is no great reward, etc.

What I enjoy about not being religious is lazy Sunday mornings with the family, coffee, the paper and a day to play. I don't miss the dogma, the condemning of anyone who believes differently, the building up for the kingdom beyond while acting in horrible ways on earth, and the fear of losing loved ones to hell. I'm grateful that I don't have to listen to political messages from the pulpit, and that a minister feels that he can tell me how to vote.

 

[redux]

ah yes, the politics. I remember once when I was exploring different denominations going to one church where the minister stood in the pulpit and said that we should just nuke the entire Middle East.

I never went back to that church. The thing was, this guy had a huge loyal following. I went there on the recommendation of someone who gushed and gushed about how wonderful this person was. I had to remember- churches are about people, not God.

 

[EweSheep]

Not only enjoying a lazy Sunday morning with families, I can even fix a good Sunday's dinner without any meaning behind it except its on a Sunday and begining of a work week that I do not have to spend alot of time fixing a beautiful old fashioned meal every night.

 

[Michele_Lynd]

What I miss the most is the really nice people that do care,( not the ones that are just there for the browine points they think they get)



What I like is not having to get up to go. now I can plan things on Sunday and on nice days My Hubby and I ride the motorcycle to lunch Its now our day together

 

[deb1]

mom'sfolly :

What I miss most is the music, I actually love hymns and spiritual music. "How Great Thou Art", The Doxology, Amazing Grace and I Come to the Garden Alone, and Christmas music are some of my favorites. Church is one of the few places that people sing in public, and no one cares how you sing. I always found the singing uplifting. I.

Mom'sfolly, I enjoy certain gospel songs also. "Just as I am" is very beautiful.​